Rabbi Jonathan Keren-Black officiates at funerals of Leo Baeck Centre Members. In cases where our Rabbi is unavailable, another rabbi from within the Progressive movement conducts the funeral service.

Bet-Olam (House of Life) is the undertaking service for the progressive community. They will organize the service for both LBC and non-LBC members.  The 24 hour contact telephone number for Bet-Olam is 03 9883 6237. One can access their website here.

Although Jewish tradition has not approved of cremation, we encourage people to make educated choices for themselves in this regard, as in all aspects of ritual. LBC will provide support for both burial and cremation services, in conjunction with Bet-Olam.

In the mourning period, we do not require people to tear their clothes,  cover mirrors or TVs, or to sit on low stools. All these are parts of the tradition which people can draw on, or not, as they wish as they deal uniquely with their loss.

The Leo Baeck Centre also offers a service for the ‘stone setting’, which usually takes place around the time of the first anniversary of the loved one’s death. The short ceremony takes place at the cemetery and includes appropriate ritual and prayers of memory for family and friends.